Harris Weed? PETA calls for Harris Tweed to end use of sheep’s wool and switch to hemp

PETA has called on Harris Tweed to stop using sheep’s wool in the production of the famous fabric – and suggested they switch to plant-based hemp instead.

In a bizarre letter the animal rights organisation urged the Harris Tweed Authority to move away from the centuries old tradition, claiming sheep fleece ‘wreaks havoc on the environment’ and causes sheep ‘immense suffering.’

PETA also suggested they rebrand to ‘Harris Weed’ suggesting the use of sheep’s fleece in the Outer Hebrides is contributing to climate change because of the methane produced by the animals.

The letter stated ‘sheep are intelligent, sensitive individuals who can recognise the faces of at least 50 other sheep, make friends, and even wag their tails like dogs do when they’re happy.’

The world famous Harris Tweed fabric has been protected under the 1993 Harris Tweed Act which provides a clear definition of what makes it and the quality standards it must possess. 

The act states Harris Tweed cloth must be: ‘Handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides.’

But PETA seems to believe a change to hemp would help the islands with rising sea levels, increased flooding and coastal erosion.

‘If Harris Tweed hopes to survive another 200 years, it must move with the times by switching to kind plant wool that no sheep has to suffer for,’ PETA Vice President of Corporate Projects Yvonne Taylor said.

‘We urge you to switch from sheep’s fleece to the superior plant-wool, hemp, and rebrand as Harris Weed.

‘No, we haven’t been smoking anything, but I will be blunt: hemp, a perfectly harmless plant, is green, clean, and kind, while the wool industry abuses millions of gentle sheep and pollutes the environment. 

‘Moving from the latter to the former – and joining forces with farmers across Scotland and the UK to boost hemp yarn production – will help animals, the planet, and futureproof your business. 

‘Sheep are intelligent, sensitive individuals who can recognise the faces of at least 50 other sheep, make friends, and even wag their tails like dogs do when they’re happy. 

‘In the wool industry, they’re bred to be burdened with unnaturally heavy fleeces, which can cause infections, and are used to justify painful mutilations.’

The letter continues: ‘Sheep grazing also drives habitat degradation and biodiversity loss in the Hebrides. 

Credit: Juan Carlos Munzo/Adobe Stock

‘Irreversible climate change is “looming”, and the UK’s 30 million sheep release huge amounts of planetwarming methane into the atmosphere. 

‘Conversely, producing one kilogram of hemp generates just 19.5 kilograms of CO2 equivalent (compared to sheep’s wool’s 80.3 kilograms), and absorbs more CO2 than it emits. 

‘Aberdeen University researchers found that hemp even has the potential to make Scotland’s agricultural sector carbon neutral.  

‘Evolving to hemp wool as Harris Weed would bring the fabric into the now and beyond, helping animals and protecting the delicate ecosystem that makes the Hebrides special. 

‘We’d love to promote such an innovation; we’ve even created a new logo for you, which you’re welcome to use.’